Spain beat Italy 1-0 on Thursday in the teams’ second group stage match of Euro 2024, the only score being an own-goal despite Spain’s dominance throughout the game.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made eight saves in the loss, but he couldn’t keep out a second-half deflection off defender Riccardo Calafiori.
The win clinched Spain a spot in the knockout round, while Italy will face Croatia in the final group game hoping to secure a spot in the last 16.
"We are angry," Donnarumma said after the game. "Let's use this to motivate ourselves for the next games, our destiny is in our hands."
Here’s how Thursday’s game unfolded:
Riccardo Calafiori's second-half own goal earned dominant Spain a 1-0 victory over defending champions Italy on Thursday to qualify for the last 16 of Euro 2024 as Group B winners.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma kept his side in the game during the first half, tipping Pedri's header over and denying Alvaro Morata from a tight angle before producing a brilliant fingertip save from Fabian Ruiz's long-range effort.
Winger Nico Williams tormented Italy right back Giovanni Di Lorenzo and created the winner, sending a dangerous ball across goal which Calafiori deflected into the net in the 55th minute.
Italy barely threatened an equalizer before a late spell of possession which Spain withstood with relative ease.
– Reuters
Nico Williams' curled shot clanged off the crossbar in the 70th minute, which would have been a spectacular for the 21-year-old who has been electric in Thursday's match against Italy.
All Spain's pressure finally paid off with some good fortune as a deflection off Riccardo Calafiori found the back of the net, a deserved goal for the side that had dominated the match.
It's already a fifth own goal at Euro 2024.
The second half is underway in Gelsenkirchen, with Italy making two changes at the break. Andrea Cambiaso and Bryan Cristante coming on for Jorginho and Davide Frattesi. Cristante received a yellow card less than two minutes later for his tackle on Rodri.
Spain looked the better side in the first half, particularly in the early stages with Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma making three saves in the opening half hour.
Spain midfielder Rodri received a yellow card, his second of the tournament, and will now miss his country's final game of the group stage.
Spain is keeping Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma busy in the first half hour, requiring saves on a tight-angle effort by Alvaro Morata and a long-range effort from midfielder Fabian Ruiz. That's three through 30 minutes for the 25-year-old who plays for Paris Saint-Germain
Spain has had about 64.3% possession so far and are keeping the Italians pushed back on defense.
Spain has been feeding left winger Nico Williams through the first 15 minutes and the 21-year-old running all over Italy's right flank. His ball from the end line set up a Pedri header that required Gianluigi Donnarumma to make a save in the second minute and Williams had a big chance on a header a few minutes later.
Williams, who plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spain, is making his 16th international appearance.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was called on less than two minutes into the match, making a point-blank save on Pedri's header, which came on a pinpoint Nico Williams cross from the end line.
Donnarumma was named best player of the tournament at Euro 2020, leading Italy to the title.
Spain: Unai Simon; Dani Carvajal, Robin Le Normand, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Alvaro Morata (c), Nico Williams
Italy: Gianluigi Donnarumma (c); Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco; Jorginho, Nicolo Barella; Federico Chiesa, Davide Frattesi, Lorenzo Pellegrini; Gianluca Scamacca
Spain centre half Aymeric Laporte will make his first appearance at Euro 2024 against defending champions Italy on Thursday, replacing Nacho in the starting team for the Group B game.
Laporte was the only change for Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, who kept faith with left back Marc Cucurella while midfielder Rodri and captain Alvaro Morata start after being substituted during Saturday’s win over Croatia due to minor injuries.
Italy are unchanged from their 2-1 win over Albania with Gianluca Scamacca leading the attack and a back four including 22-year-old Riccardo Calafiori alongside Alessandro Bastoni.
The winners will advance to the round of 16 at the top of Group B. Croatia and Albania have one point apiece after two games.
– Reuters
With a faster, more direct approach than the possession-based "tiki-taka" style that made them European champions in 2008 and 2012 as well as World Cup winners in 2010, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente believes the 2024 versions of both teams are very similar in the way they play.
"We are much alike, they are also a team that are still under development, with a lot of young players and a new coach, very competitive in their approach... When I see them it's like looking at ourselves in the mirror," De la Fuente said.
"They are a team on the rise with a very good collective mindset. It will be a very balanced match between two traditional sides. It's a football classic, a clash that could easily be a Euro or World Cup final."
– Reuters
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised Lamine Yamal after his first appearance at a major tournament on Saturday and talked up the teenager's potential to become a great player.
Yamal, at 16 the youngest player to appear at the European championship.
"Yamal is impressing everyone and going up through the levels," De la Fuente said after Spain's 3-0 thrashing of Croatia in the Group B game. "He has to keep fdimproving every day, and over time he will become a wonderful footballer," the coach added.
– Reuters
England missed the chance to book its place in the knockout stage of Euro 2024 after they were held to a 1-1 draw against Denmark in Group C on Thursday.
England took the lead in the 18th minute after the rapidly advancing Kyle Walker caught Danish defender Victor Kristiansen ambling towards the ball and the full back's low deflected cross into the box fell to captain Harry Kane who slotted it in. However, Gareth Southgate's side failed to press home their advantage, and a sloppy throw-in 16 minutes later came to Morten Hjulmand who had time and space to smash the ball low and in off the post from long range.
Euro 2020 runners-up England had been touted as tournament favorites yet struggled to fashion decent chances throughout the match. They remain on top of Group C on four points, while Denmark are second on two after Slovenia's 1-1 draw with Serbia earlier.
– Reuters
Defending champions Italy may have won their Euro 2024 opener against Albania with an unexpectedly attacking style of football, but Spain - their opponents on Thursday - are unfazed, says manager Luis de la Fuente.
He made it clear his side are not preparing for a game of finesse, however, and are getting ready for something more akin to a pitched battle.
"We are prepared to get muddy, to dig deep in a quarry and for a day in the office. Ready for everything," De la Fuente told a press conference on Wednesday.
"We know what kind of football they play and how competitive they are, so we won't be surprised. I expect a strong, aggressive Italy who will try to control possession. It is the most important match in the group stage."
– Reuters
Thursday's match will be played at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, the home stadium for German club FC Schalke 04.
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